Latest Product Obsession - Frontier Bites (YUM!)

Few things excite me more than trying a new product and having it naturally working its way into regular training and racing rotation. This is especially true for any snacks/foods that can break the monotony of gels and mixes (dentist be damned). If you can be on a long run/ride and be looking forward to eating, you are WAY ahead of the game.

My latest product obsession is Frontier Bites - a crispy, all-natural snack from the newly created Frontier Snacks in Mountain View, CA. I first tried them at the Tour de Menlo century ride, where owner Matt Oscamou was happy to chat about how his new product came about. His dilemma sounded familiar - how to create an all-natural, gluten free, dairy free snack that tasted great, had some protein for long efforts, but was still lightweight and easy to pack. His creation, Frontier Bites, absolutely nailed it.

With flavors like pecan/cherry/cinnamon (my favorite), almond/blueberry/lemon, and macadamia/pineapple/coconut, each bite has a nice mix of nuts, puffed rice, and zest to get your mouth feeling like it's eating something hearty. I can easily ingest a whole pack and stay at race pace without any stomach distress, and a small handful has a whopping ~110 calories. Best of all, they weigh NOTHING. Easily the lightest snack I have ever packed.

I brought along a couple of their variety packs to the Ultra Tour de Mont Blanc, where both their lightness and taste made them a favorite through the night climbs. I now keep a bulk pack near my shoe rack for a post-race recovery snack too. My daughters, Sophie Jane (6) and Quinn (1.5), steal them all the time, but I don't mind. It's much better than when they break into caffeinated Shot Blox, which results in freak sprinting, grand mal meltdowns, and a half dozen diaper changes. ;-)

You can buy Frontier Bites at their web site, www.frontiersnacks.com. I would highly suggest the variety pack to start!

Happy Fall training everyone!

- SD